Warm your heart by acting kindly this Valentine’s day.
Today marks the first day of Random Acts of Kindness Week, and UNM is celebrating with donation drives for the Albuquerque Rescue Mission and Cuidando los Niños.
An act of kindness is something as simple as walking a friend’s dog, Kimmerly Kloeppel, Interim Dean of Students said. She said kindness builds a sense of community for students in an age when cyber bullying and isolation are prominent.
“It is really important for students to connect with each other,” Kloeppel said. “With the online social networking, students tend to get isolated. Getting out there is another way to connect and keep in touch with people.”
The Albuquerque Rescue Mission is asking for toothpaste, shaving cream, men’s underwear, socks and tissue. Cuidando los Niños is asking for art supplies, diapers, diaper wipes, new children’s socks, underwear, clothes and shoes. Collection bins for the nonprofit organizations will be placed around campus all week.
There are both physical and emotional health benefits to altruism, Kloeppel said.
“Helpers’ high releases natural painkillers,” she said. “There is a physical change … you feel, kind of a rush. It helps with decreasing depression and creating a greater self worth.”
The emphasis is on this week, but Kloppel said students should embrace acts of kindness regularly.
“It would be great if people made this a habit — something that they do all time,” she said. “It creates optimism around so much negativity. Optimism is helpful. It gives us a reason to feel why we are all here.”
